# Does improved nurse staffing impact patient outcomes in cancer? Association between chronic diseases and mortality among older adult patients with lung cancer in Korea

## TL;DR

This study examines how nurse staffing levels in hospitals affect the survival of older lung cancer patients in Korea.

## Contribution

The study provides new evidence on the relationship between nurse staffing and mortality in elderly lung cancer patients.

## Key findings

- Higher nurse-to-bed ratios are associated with increased one- and five-year mortality rates.
- Patients in hospitals with superior nursing grades had lower mortality rates.
- Inferior nursing grades correlate with worse long-term outcomes for elderly lung cancer patients.

## Abstract

Evidence regarding the impact of nurse staffing on the health outcomes of older adult patients with cancer is scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of nurse staffing on long-term and short-term mortality in elderly lung cancer patients.

This study analyzed data from 5,832 patients with lung cancer in Korea from 2008 to 2018. Nursing grade was considered to assess the effect of nursing staff on mortality in older adult patients with lung cancer. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate the effect of the initial treatment hospital’s nursing grade on one- and five-year mortality. Additionally, economic status and treatment type of patients were analyzed.

Approximately 31% of older adult patients with lung cancer died within one year post-diagnosis. Patients in hospitals with superior nursing grades (lower nurse-to-bed ratios) exhibited lower mortality rates. Hospitals with nursing grades 2 and 3 exhibited approximately 1.242–1.289 times higher mortality than grade 1 hospitals. Further, the lower the nursing grade (higher nurse-to-bed ratio), the higher the five-year mortality rate.

Both short- and long-term mortality rates for older adult patients with lung cancer increased at inferior nursing grades. Treatment in hospitals having inferior nursing grades, upon initial hospitalization, may yield better outcomes. This study provides valuable insight into the quality of adequate staffing to improve the quality of care for elderly cancer patients.